New Hire Responsible For Well-Received WWE Raw Changes

When it comes to the on-screen product, WWE have been on a hot streak over the past several months and the TV presentation has improved since the start of the year.

Kevin Dunn was previously the WWE Chief of Global Television Distribution which meant he was very much in charge of the company's TV production. Dunn left WWE at the end of 2023, however, and the organisation replaced him with Lee Fitting, who was appointed WWE Head of Media & Production. Fitting joined the company after over 25 years at ESPN where he oversaw production on several properties, including Monday Night Football and College GameDay.

Changes to WWE TV were initially subtle as the company moved to more of a sports-based presentation but the alterations were obvious during the February 19 episode of Monday Night Raw as the company utilised a video package for Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre, something that has often been saved for pay-per-view matches. The red lighting was also largely gone, with WWE instead illuminating the crowd. Incessant camera cuts were absent from the show too and WWE even utilised a long drone shot during Raw's second hour as the camera began outside Anaheim's Honda Center and made its way to the ring.

Jon Alba, the co-host of the Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and Strictly Business, has reported the changes are a direct result of Lee Fitting's hiring by WWE.

"All directly correlated to Lee Fitting's arrival. I had someone who worked directly under him reach out the first week he was in power, and pointed out four things directly related to his vision for the product," Alba tweeted.

Although Fitting has been receiving plaudits for his WWE work, he did find himself named in a scandal that engulfed ESPN in January 2024.